Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63257 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Silver
• Brand: Panasonic
• Model: DMC-FX50S
• Released on: 2006-09-30
• Dimensions: 3.00 pounds
• Display size: 3

Features

• 7.2-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 15 x 20-inch prints
• 3.6x image-stabilized optical zoom; 3.0-inch LCD display
• Intelligent ISO Control (I.I.C.) reduces image blur from subject movement and low light
• Records full-size movies in wide-aspect VGA (848 x 480) at 30 frames per second
• Stores images on SD memory cards (16MB card included); powered by li-ion battery pack (battery and charger included)

From the Manufacturer
The new Lumix DMC-FX50 7.2-megapixel digital camera features a wide-angle f2.8 Leica DC lens with 3.6x optical zoom (equivalent to 28mm to 102mm on a 35mm film camera), an Intelligent Image Stabilizer by Mega O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), and Intelligent ISO control. The DMC-FX50 also newly incorporates a 3-inch large LCD whereas the DMC-FX07 pursues further compactness with a 2.5-inch LCD.

Inheriting the superior 28mm Leica DC lens in a compact body from its predecessor, the DMC-FX50 camera allows users to enjoy the benefits of a wide-angle lens when shooting indoor group portraits, expansive landscapes, or architectural scenes.

To fight against the major cause of blurred images, Panasonic invented the Mega O.I.S. system, taking advantage of its superior lens technology to compensate for handshake. In addition, to also compensate for the other major cause of blurred images--movement of the subject--the FX50 camera is also equipped with the world's first Intelligent ISO Control (hereafter I.I.C.) and a maximum ISO of 1250, for high-sensitivity recording at full resolution within the advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine III. When set to the I.I.C., the Venus Engine III detects the subject's movement and adjusts the ISO setting and shutter speed to best suit the movement and light condition automatically. Panasonic's excellent image stabilization system allows users to take clear, crisp images in any situation, leaving everything to the camera.

Taking advantage of the newly incorporated 3-inch large LCD, the DMC-FX50 allows dual image playback to see and compare any two images at a time. It is also possible to select 9 sequential frames from a captured motion image file and display them as thumbnails which can then even be saved as still images. Furthermore, a print mode has been added to the mode dial to allow users to connect the camera to a Pictbridge-corresponding printer via an included USB cable.

When shooting indoor group portraits, sometimes the room is not large enough to allow the photographer to get everyone in the frame, or the light is insufficient, forcing the photographer to use a flash. However the winning combination of 28mm Leica DC lens and the Intelligent Image stabilizer enable every type of user to take ideal beautiful images with everyone in the frame and without having to use the flash which would spoil the ambience of the picture.

The DMC-FX50 is available in silver and black, with a specially textured finish. The new Lumix DMC-FX50 is a beautifully designed and feature-packed digital camera, ideal for recording and preserving all those precious moments that life gives.

28mm Wide-Angle 3.6x Optical Zoom f2.8 Leica DC Lens in a Compact Body
The 7.2-megapixel Lumix DMC-FX50 camera has a 28mm (35mm equivalent) wide-angle 3.6x optical zoom f2.8 Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens housed in a compact and slim body, achieved thanks to the incorporation of an EA (Extra High Refractive Index Aspherical) lens. This wide-angle lens enables easy capture of groups of people, architectural structures, and scenery with dynamic width and a rich perspective. The lens unit, comprised of a Leica DC lens of seven elements in six groups, incorporates four aspherical lenses to generate high optical performance while preserving the compactness of the unit. The zoom ratio can be extended up to 5.5x in 3-megapixel resolution mode thanks to the Extended Optical Zoom function, which gives extra magnification (and minimal image deterioration) by intentionally using the center part of the CCD.

More than Mega O.I.S., Lumix's Image Stabilizing System Evolves Further
Taking advantage of its superior lens technology, Panasonic invented the Mega O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) system to fight against the major cause of blurred images. It compensates for handshake and is now featured on the entire Lumix range. Every slight hand-shake movement is detected accurately with the sampling frequency of 4,000 times per second and is compensated for, rendering clear, sharp images. In addition, movement of the subject, the other major cause of blurred images, is suppressed by the advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine III with the Intelligent ISO Control (hereafter I.I.C.) and high-sensitivity recording capabilities with a maximum ISO of 1250. The world's first incorporation of this I.I.C. allows the automatic adjustment of the suitable ISO setting and shutter speed that best suits the situation by analyzing the speed of subject movement. If the subject is moving, the ISO setting automatically rises to allow a higher shutter speed. On the other hand, if the subject is still and no movement is detected, you can take beautiful natural images with a low ISO setting.

High Picture Quality, Rapid Image Processing with the Venus Engine III
The DMC-FX50/FX07 camera uses the Venus Engine III to realize high sensitivity recording at a maximum ISO of 1250 at full resolution. The noise-reduction system is greatly improved by removing noise at the processing stages in series. With its multi-task image processing capability, the Venus Engine III boasts outstanding response time with a shutter release time lag of as few as 0.005 seconds and a shutter interval of 0.5 seconds. Together with the fast startup time of approximately 1.3 seconds, the quick response of DMC-FX50/FX07 enable easy capture of those spur-of-the-moment shots. In the burst shooting mode, it is possible to shoot at three frames per second in full resolution for a maximum of eight images in standard mode or six images in fine mode. The DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras also allow unlimited consecutive shooting up to the capacity of the SD/SDHC memory card. (The speed of the consecutive shooting varies depending on the memory card.)

Despite the large, bright LCD, the DMC-FX50/FX07 camera achieves long battery life to shoot approximately 300 pictures (CIPA) on a single charge thanks to the energy-efficient Venus Engine III.

Advanced 3.0-Inch LCD for Easy Shooting and Playback
The FX50 newly incorporates an easy-to-see 3.0-inch 230K high-resolution LCD. The large LCD enables dual-image playback to display any two images vertically in the LCD and compare them, as well as the nine-frame cutouts from a motion image. Also, the pixel-mixed readout method performed by the CCD automatically increases the brightness level of the live image on the LCD, which greatly facilitates shooting in low-light situations. With the help of the Power LCD function, which boosts the backlighting of the LCD by 40%, even shooting in bright outdoor situations is no longer a problem. The High Angle mode makes the display extremely easy to view from low angles, for example, when holding the camera up high to take pictures over a crowd. It can be accessed easily and quickly by using the dedicated button.

Clear, Bright, Wide VGA Motion-Image Recording for Viewing on Wide-Screen TV
In addition to standard VGA (640 x 480) motion image recording at 30 frames per second (fps), the DMC-FX50 cameras can also record stunning full-size movies in wide-aspect VGA (848 x 480) at 30 fps. Shooting is one thing but viewing is another, and users will be suitably impressed by the 16:9 moving image when it is displayed on a wide-screen TV. The brightness level of these motion images is also enhanced as a result of the pixel-mixed readout method performed by the CCD.

Users may also select and display nine sequential frames from a motion image in thumbnail format, enabling you to see individual frames of a golf swing, for example.

Unimpeded High-Speed Autofocus
The various autofocus (AF) mode can be selected according to the shooting environment and the position of the subject: 9-point, 3-point high speed, 1-point high-speed, 1-point normal-speed, and spot. In the 1-point normal speed AF, the AF time is reduced by one third of the time compared to the predecessor, to provide a quick and smooth AF without screen-freeze. The inclusion of an AF assist lamp provides further assistance in low-light situations when focusing is difficult. The result is stress-free photography with never a moment missed.

A Variety of Scene Modes and Other Features to Enrich Your Photography
An even greater variety of scene modes are included--17 in total, to assist you in a wide range of photographic situations. The newly incorporated Beach mode is perfect for shooting in strong sunlight and the Aerial mode enhances shots taken through the windows of an airplane. High Sensitivity mode, made possible by the pixel-mixed readout method by the CCD, is ideal for shooting moving subjects clearly without blurring at a sensitivity as high as ISO 3200. (Resolution significantly decreases in high sensitivity mode.)

On the other hand, in the Simple mode, almost all adjustments can be automatically set--even the backlight compensation--allowing even entry-level users to take beautiful images easily.

An additional improvement is the addition of a print mode onto the mode dial for the FX50 so that users can make prints by just connecting the camera to a Pictbridge-compatible printer via an included USB cable.

The FX50 is compatible with an optional marine case (not included--must be purchased separately) with which users can shoot underwater while scuba diving, etc. The camera also includes a World Time Setting, which allows users to set the time and date of 74 locations across the world.

Customer Reviews

great style
I have just replaced a string of Canon digitals with this camera - a G2, an SD500 and an SD600. I chose the Panasonic FX50 over the Canon SD800 as it has very similar features including optical image stabilization and 28mm wide angle. The Canon just seemed tired - in its styling and menus and I read some questionable reviews about its lens. As for the Panasonic, I love the super bright 3" screen. The styling is beautiful, especially in the black...and of course there is that Leica lens. I was particually concerned about the lag time between pushing the button and the shutter click as I am chasing around my 9 month old. This camera is quick and even has a "baby" scene set. The toggle control makes scrolling through the menus a breeze, and these menus are very intuitive. The body construction seems pretty solid. I have yet to assess battery life and video quality, and I would like to take some more time to compare the image quality of differnt shots, but so far I am impressed.

Very dissapointed
The Panasonic Lumix DMC FX50 is the latest upgrade to the quite successful FX07, with the addition of a big, beautiful 3 inch screen. The menu functions are well laid out and easy to use, and the camera feels comfortable to hold and fits easily in the pocket. The Image Stabilisation (OIS) works very well even at long focal lengths, and is great for quick "one handed" snaps when on the move.

Recording video works quite well, however zooming is NOT available as mentioned previously and sound quality is quite poor, to the point of being unable to pick up audible conversation from anyone but yourself. And now..on the subject of poor.

Where this camera fails miserably is picture quality. Panasonic I believe have made a big mistake with this lens, as at its widest angle (and default start-up focal length), barrel distortion is quite noticeable with horrible blurring at the edges. This is most disappointing, considering it is quite sharp towards the centre of the image. Initially I thought I'd been sold a lemon, but after browsing hundreds of photos from other FX50 owners on Flickr I, it is just as noticeable, especially when the images are viewed at larger size.

Indoor photography is equally horrible as the FX50 struggles to auto-focus in even the most gracious indoor lighting conditions. Flash performance is not too bad considering the small size of the flash window, but flash-less photography using high ISO is also very poor, even when using a tripod.

In summary, I am very disappointed with this camera and would not recommend it to anyone wishing to take good quality pictures at sizes larger than 1024 X 765, and especially significant indoor shots.

Such a pity though, that big beautiful bright screen is a wonder to look at.

Excellent photos, Some lame features
This camera takes great photos. The menus are generally well designed. The minimalistic controls make it straightforward and not complicated.

A major missing feature is the abiltiy to display the date on the photo. (Needed for insurance and legal purposes to document the date of the photo.) While Panasonic includes a proprietary program that can print the date, you can ONLY get the date through this program, not by uploading the photos to other printing services or by using other software.

The auto-rotate feature in the camera is lame: The photo isn't rotated to the correct orientation in the JPG file, a note is simply put into the file indicating the rotation (landscape/portrait). Other brands will actually store the file with the correct orientation. So, when you view photos in Windows Explorer they are sideways and upside down when they could have all been correct.

For videos and rapid photos you REALLY need an ULTRA high-speed SD card...not the low-cost variety.

The camera is thicker than other slim models, and you definitely feel this thickness if you intend to pocket it. A shame, since 1/8" or 1/4" would make all the difference between being a bulge or not.

Separate charger is nice, but you also will want an extra battery since you must remove the battery from the camera in order to sharge it. The charger is small and compact and good for travel since it doesn't have a big cord. (Overall it was a good choice for a separate charger, but it's not the norm with some brands.)

Some features are cryptically named, such as "Mode 1" and "Mode 2" for the anti-shake. A more descriptive name would make it easier to understand the subtle difference between them.

Overall, a good camera that takes excellent quality pictures.